Israeli minister: Facebook’s Zuckerberg has ‘blood of terror victims on his hands’

Facebook fails to block posts that incite violence and Mark Zuckerberg, the social media giant’s chairman and co-founder, has the “blood of terror victims on his hands,” an Israeli official said.

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said Facebook and Zuckerberg share partial responsibility for terrorist attacks, including a Palestinian terrorist’s murder of a 13-year-old Israeli girl while she slept on June 30.

Hallel Yaffa Ariel, 13, was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist on June 30.

“Some of the victims’ blood is on Zuckerberg’s hands,” Erdan told Channel 2. “Facebook has turned into a monster. The younger generation in the Palestinian Authority runs its entire discourse of incitement and lies and finally goes out to commit murderous acts on Facebook’s platform.”

Erdan pointed to Facebook posts by 19-year-old Palestinian terrorist Mohammed Nasser Tra’ayra in which he praised terrorists and said he wished to die a “martyr’s death”. Tra’ayra murdered 13-year-old Hallel Yaffa Ariel in Kiryat Arba on June 30.

Erdan said Facebook “could have reported to the police or defense officials about the post put up by that despicable murderer.”

“When it comes to a Judea and Samaria [West Bank] settlers, Facebook doesn’t cooperate and sets a high bar for removing inciting content and posts.”

Last week, Erdan and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said they would advance legislation that would require social media sites to block terror-related and other banned posts that immediately endanger the state, public or a person.

“Facebook has become a hothouse for new terrorism,” said Knesset Member Erel Margalit, who took part in the Cyber Security conference in Paris on July 1. “The next terror attack is hiding among the thousands of likes and shares that terrorists get these days.”

Margalit said in his speech at the conference that “what happened in the last two days in Israel proves that cyber terror isn’t only hackers and malware activated in the name of states like Iran. Cyber terror takes place on Facebook and social networks as well. The combination of incitement, technology and terror influences all Western states. It’s time to change the politically correct approach vis-a-vis the terror hothouses fostered by social networks.”

Facebook said in response that “we have clear community rules intended to help people what is allowed on Facebook and we call on people to use our reporting devices if they find content they believe breaks these rules, so we can examine each case and take rapid action. Facebook has a regular dialog with the government on these issues.”